Simile in "Interpreter of Maladies"

Within this story, there is very little in the way of figurative language and rhetorical devices, as far as I saw. But, one simile I saw really contributed to the tone and set the scene of the story. On page 153 the narrator tells of Mrs. Das: "She lifted her pinkish brown sunglasses and arranged them on top of her head like a tiara." To me, this revealed some characterization of Mrs. Das. Obviously a tiara is a princess' crown. In this context, Lahiri casts the tiara and a princess in a negative light. This seems to depict a princess who is distant from her people and far too concerned about herself and only herself. This comparison comes to fruition later in the story when Mrs. Das reveals what Mr. Kapasi suspected all along. Mrs. Das was distant because her love between her husband has died and she is a worn down mother. Her reasoning for her lost love and so forth is revealed later.